America’s loudest conservation opponents are anti-government extremists and conspiracy theorists
Anti-public lands advocates have always relied on disinformation and fearmongering, and the National Monuments Disinformation Brigade identified in this report is no different. Opinion polls have shown over and over again that the majority of Americans living in the West support conservation and want new protections for public land—including national monuments—in their state. Without facts or public opinion on their side, the National Monuments Disinformation Brigade has resorted to spreading conspiracy theories and fearmongering to fight public land protection.
This report builds on the Center for Western Priorities’ 30×30 Disinfo Brigade report, which identified groups and politicians working to undermine the goal of protecting 30 percent of U.S. land and water by 2030, which scientists say is necessary to stem the extinction crisis. The groups that make up the 30×30 Disinformation Brigade and the National Monuments Disinformation Brigade are closely aligned—some groups appear in both reports and almost all espouse the same ideologies. These groups also use similar tactics, such as tying public land conservation to extremist conspiracy theories in order to activate opposition from people who would otherwise not engage on public land issues.
By working in tandem, these groups spread their lies far and wide, drowning out good-faith questions about monument designations and turning the nuanced process of land protection into a false binary of good versus evil. These groups feed off of and repeat each other’s disinformation, normalizing extreme ideas like the claim that Antiquities Act designations are “illegal land grabs,” despite hard evidence to the contrary. It’s imperative that reporters and policymakers see through this deception, which is based in fear, not fact.
It’s also important for communities in the West to question the work and intent of these groups. The National Monument Disinformation Brigade, especially the Heritage Foundation and American Stewards of Liberty, represents corporate interests, not Westerners. Communities in the crosshairs of these groups should question the motives behind these anti-monument campaigns and scrutinize the claims they make.
Finally, land protection is necessary for the health of the planet, but it often involves compromise. There is a long tradition of Westerners supporting the protection of public lands in their communities. As those closest to the land, Westerners see the benefits of preserving nature and conserving wildlife. The collective effort of the National Monument Disinformation Brigade is upending the long tradition of collaborative conversations and compromises that have historically led to land protection in the West, hurting public lands and the communities that depend on them.